A demons tale
by Selcarnor
Summary: A continuation after the true ending of The Witch's House, with new dark forces emerging, to bring the tragic tale of Ellen und Viola to a new level.


**A demons tale.**

This will be my first story an this site, what ist quite suprising for me, because I would have never thought to write a fanfiction. But like many others I was left in a deverstating state after the true ending of The Witch's House and I just was not able to leave it at that.

So now we are here. I expanded the universe a little bit and tried to write a story with my style, but still truthfull to funny's atmosphere. It could be quite grimm sometimes, so with this, be warned! In the future I maby expand this to some other RPG-Maker-Games, but for now, there is just this.

I am not a native english speaker, so I deeply apologize for the not perfet grammar. Now please sit back und hopefully enjoy this little tale.

* * *

The falling rain was only the prologue of a much, much bigger storm to come, who right now was forming itself behind the horizon. But that was still far away, so lets focus on the dreadful, unimportant scene here at a unimportant place. Besides the dripping of the water, there was no sounds anymore in the forest. No animal or insect dared to leave its hidingspot. Just two gunshots have disrupted the loud falling of the water. But their echo has already dwindled and no human presence was nearby anymore, with just one exception.

It was a mutilated body, lying an the ground of a dirty path. Eyeless. Legless. Weakened by sickness. Covered in blood and nearly complete lifeless. A girl. All alone. Forgotten and full of misery. Pain. So much was in her. Physically and emotional. She was lost.

A black cat came from inbetween the trees. It was hungry and the last meal was long ago. The flesh and bone of the girl started to disappear into thin air. The cat began to purr. Yes, it was hungry. So hungry, that it not noticed the long, dark shadow that was coming from the woods. Just when the darkness crawled over its fur, it notices the other, so much more powerful presence. But it was to late to react. Its time on this sphere was over.

The end was nothing flashy or impressive. The cat just turned to dust and was gone. Back to the deep places, were it was borne.

 _Well, that's that. Another one has returned._

A light rustle was heard form thousands upon thousands of trees. They seem to tremble in fear. Then the came silence back, as if everything was holding its breath again.

A man toke the place of the cat in complete silence. His walking feet didn't make a sound and not even his heart was beating. His lungs were not working either. His whole presence seemed like a corpse or a ghost. A bland, not much standing out ghost. No one would notice him, if walked down a street or entered a pub. But here, every animal and plant was cautious around him and just hoped, he would go away and never come back.

 _And what do we have here?_

The body of the girl was now gone, just like the cat. Just blood remembered that she died here. A normal human would have noticed nothing more. But the stranger with the forgettable appearance could _see_. There was something. Something that should have been a meal for the little, black demon. It was the price for a contract. A contract that now was nullified, because the contractor has left this realm and would never come back.

So the soul remains and the stranger could feel it. The anger. The desperation. The betrayal. The hate. It was was impressive. Very impressive. If unleashed, this hate could destroy mountains. But still, there was more. Confusion, sorrow and indecisiveness. This hate was like a big forest fire. Destructive, but eventually it could burn down with enough care.

He looked up the path, where the house has vanished. The stray was captured. No traces of his doings or of the witches where left. The dark strangers mission here was for the time being fulfilled. Souls where not his department. Other... _ones_ would take care of this mess. He could go back now and forget everything about this mess here.

 _But where is the fun?_

One could say that he and the little cat basically came from the same sphere and have the same... _masters_ – in a lack of a better word. But in comparison they would have been on the same level like a scratch of weed to a mighty tree. Both plants, but one was still taller and more near the sun. And the old ones have decided that the garden should now be cleaned up, in preparation to upcoming treaties with the higher spheres

And this weeding out what the stranger was doing. Finding and hunting the stray ones. A boring job, because not one of them was a challenge. The differences in power and resolution where much to high. He didn't even need to eat souls to stay here and had a somewhat physical body, so he didn't have to obsess hosts either.

He was a warrior and herald and did not belong to the degenerate kind who likes to mess with mortals, but this whole situation was interesting and he had a feeling that this stupid story deserved a other ending. For now, he was curios what the outcome would be, if he forcefully continued this idiotic chain of events. Maybe he could...

"Well then", he whispers. "Lets see..."

He pulled something out of one of the pockets of his black jacket. It was a little doll, made out of wood. It had no face and no clothing. Completely blank.

"This should do for the time being." He threw into the mud, there where the girl was lying before. The anger and hate in the air began to vibrate.

–

This sad, tragic tale is not at its end. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on the viewpoints. Regardless, the point is, it only just began. The great forces started to move and their agents came to the world of mortals. Big changes and dark horrors are about to come. But these are things, that a human mind can't understand. For now, the story of the two girls must find a conclusion, depending on the viewpoint.

Yes, the viewpoint. A lot is standing behind this word.

But for now, lets listen to the rain. The endless rain.

The rain did not stop. Two days. Three days. Four days. Drop after drop the water was falling.

A bridge was swept away by a flooded river and down in the town of the plateau strong winds where destroying trees and houses. But the storms didn't reach this little, isolated area yet. For now, it was only uncomfortable to go outside.

Ellen, from the viewpoint of the others perceived as Viola, was sitting in _her_ new room and looked out of the window. She and her _new_ father lived not directly in the village, but about twenty minutes from it. So her friends left early, to get home before nightfall. They played a lot with the dolls and at the nearby timberline for hours, despite the weather. It was good to be able to walk and jump again. After such long time, it felt almost surreal.

When everyone gone, she ate with her father a simple, but still delicious meal. After the little homework that followed he even gave her some sweets, still relieved that he was able to find her alive and well.

Yes, it was good. Better than she could have imaged. _Better_. It was everything what she ever wanted. They all cared so much for her and try to help her to overcame the _traumatic_ experience from the woods. She was loved. Everyone loves her. She was the sweet, little, _healthy_ Viola. None one could hate her. No one could abandon her. Her father would die for her. But of course she would never let that happen, because she _loved_ him back. Yes she did.

It was a perfect live.

She should be happy.

So why wasn't she?

With a hiss she stood up from the chair and throw a few of the dolls off the nearby shelf. It was not right! Why was is not right!

All the smiles. All the laughter. All the love. Everything for her. So why can't she appreciate it?

 _Because it is not for you. Its for her._

It was just a little, stingy voice in her head. A voice she tried to ignore, but that still came back at the most inconvenient times.

"Shut up", she whispers and began to walk up and down in Violas room – NO! In _her_ room. _Her_.

She left everything behind. The house was gone. Her wish was granted. The past was now ready to be forgotten. The little girl in rags who watched a dark alleyway from a dirty window. The witch, who sacrificed so many lives and spent a age of waiting and luring in a prison. All of this can now cease to exists, so she would be ready for her new life.

Maybe she should try to act more friendly? A long time of loneliness, pain and at one time an idiot who cut her head off didn't really promote a good social behavior, but again, that is the past. Now she has a new life and should start from the beginning. A incidence yesterday made this quite clear. One of the stupid girls fell into the mud and hurt her knee. All of the others ran full of worry to her, while Ellen just stood there and watched emotionless. She did not enjoy the pain of others, but it doesn't bother her either. Because of that the others gave her strange looks. Viola was always concerning. Viola always thinks of others first.

Ellen must concentrate more and at least _try_ to care. Eventually she would hopefully care in reality. An then she could enjoy the love to the fullest. Yes.

Yes this sounds good. She just should try harder.

Her desire for tea and cake can be taken back. She had enough of both over the last centuries... really. And the more simple meals with her father weren't bad either. Washing, cooking and cleaning where tedious acts, but she can do them. Because she was loved and she wanted to be loved in the future.

Yes. She must do so much more. She wasn't Ellen anymore. No one had loved Ellen. She was a new person.

She stopped suddenly at the the little table, which stood in the room. There was a book lying on it. She remembered it. Viola brought it a few times to the house, too show her all the drawings she made. Carefully Ellen took it and started to scroll throw the colorful pages. Frogs. Birds. Flowers. The House. Her, in her old body, without any rags. It was clear the blonde girl had made great efforts to draw her as beautiful and without traces of the sickness as here imagination let her.

Sweet Viola. This naive, little girl. So trusting. So dumb. But still a friend. A friend she would be thankful for the rest of her life.

Its a shame that it ended like that, but is was necessary, wasn't it? To escape the pain. To experience love. Nothing about it was something to regret. She didn't need to regret. For what? She did just took, was she had desired, like every other human. And she made sure, that Viola was at absolute despair, so she could die. Yes. All the horrible injuries and the shots out of her fathers hands. All of this was done, so she could move on and didn't had to suffer any longer.

 _Yes. Move one. Right into the stomach of a demon. What a lovely afterlife you brought upon her._

"Shut up, I said!"

She had been a witch. Because of her hundreds have died, just so she could live healthy today. She had become a cruel monster, yes. But she told herself to never feel great remorse and she would definitely not start now! Besides, that was the past.

Yes, a past to forget. She would change. She would become the beloved Viola.

Viola.

"Goddammit!" Ellen lifted the book over her head, ready to smash it on to ground, just like the dolls. Everything in her was ready to do it. But nothing in her was _able_ to do it. She stood there for a few minutes, while the rain fell against the window. Then she set on the bed and continued to view the terrible drawings of her last friend.

"Goddammit", she whispers over and over.

No regrets.

She was loved. She loved.

Why, should she regret?

She has just to try harder.

–

She wanted to find her. She wanted to kill her. She wanted to be in the arms of her father.

Father! Father! Father!

A figure that was as dark as ink and just barely able to keep a definite form stumbled throw the woods. Birds and mammals flee from her, insects feel dead on the ground and the plants withered under her feet. But she notices neither of that. She didn't even notice, that she was walking.

Her progress was slow, because often she just sank between the brown ferns and cried and screamed for hours. But even that she didn't notice. In her state there was no real concept of time, just her desires.

She wanted to save her father. Save him from that monster with its twisted sense of love. She had to make everything normal

Monster? Who was the Monster? About who she was thinking right now?

Memories, some near, some long ago and some on the verge of oblivion, pierced throw the chaos in her head. All of them where so sad. So full of pain. Unbearable pain. A father who didn't talk or look at her. A mother who abandoned her. The wish to escape that. That was not evil. How could that be a monster?

In confusion she screamed and she hit her head over and over against a nearby tree, without feeling any pain, with the exception of the one in her heart and her memories. _Her_ memories. Violas memories. The betrayal and false friendship.

She did that. _She did that_!

Ellen. Ellen who was now by her father.

Poor, lonely, monstrous, cruel Ellen.

There. There was a light. A light between the trees. The swirl of contradicting memories and emotions cleared a bit and she was able to see the real world. She knew that place. She knew that light.

She was here. Finally she was here.

What to do? What to do?

 _Kill her! Save father!_

 _Poor Ellen._

Growling Viola stepped near to her home.

–

The dark stranger was sitting in the only pub of the village. He was drinking and eating nothing and never did a waitress came by to ask if he would like to have something. No one talked with him and no one even blinked in his direction.

A lot of wanderers came to find shelter from the rain and the whole room was full of laughter and pleasant conversations. Especially one outsider was always in the viewpoint of him. It was a big man in dirty factory clothing, who asked a few of the residents about the lone hunter and his daughter, who lived near the woods.

Everything was coming together rather well. His sense did not deceived him. This was bound to happen from the beginning, even without the detour of the blonde one into the woods. It was fascinating how fate could work sometimes.

By the way. Right now sheprobablyshould have left the woods and the confrontation is just a few hours away. After watching this girl, Ellen, over the past days he thinks that it really could become quite interesting.

"I never thought, that you would interfere in something like this. I am actually quite surprised."

It was rare that someone in this world would talk with the stranger, but after identifying the voice, he was not really startled about it. But there was still a surprise, because he did not thought to met this person here.

"What exactly are you doing here", he asked the newcomer bluntly. "When I remember correctly, you only operate in Japan."

In was a bald man with white skin and red eyes. A everlasting smile covered his face and he was holding a black hat in his hand.

"Well, I was asked to make a little detour. Thanks to you and your brothers there are not a lot of the stray one and witches left, who could eat lost souls. Now we must do the job. But I don't complain. Better we help them to move on, than to let demons eat them."

"So your next clients are in this region?"

"No. No. I just came by to say hello. My next clients are in northern Germany." The waitress came and the bald one ordered a red wine. She still ignored the stranger. "So then, will you just watch at this point?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"You already interacted with them. While stop now? You have much more freedom and flexibility than my kind. You can affect all this way more."

"And why should I do that?"

"Well... like I said, the stray demons and witches are almost all gone from this world. Your mission and the mission of your brothers is nearly at its end. You need new tasks after that."

That wasn't something he really thought about. But now, where it was on the table, he must admit, that this could be problematic in the future. He could not imagine himself without a task. "So I should do the same as you?"

"Well if you instead want to protect the other spheres from... Ah, my wine!" He took a few sips from the glass and gave the stranger a few seconds to reconsider his options. "While I must admit, that your case here is quite complicated, you can at least try."

"Try what?"

"The best possibly outcome for everyone."

"Do you really think, that a happy end is possibly here?"

The bald man shook is head. "These two girls are in too much despair for that. I doubt that they can even move on by this point. But I trust you, that you will have a idea. What is your opinion about them, by the way?"

"There's not that much to say, really. Or at least not from my perspective. Poor choices and circumstances for both of them created this absurd situation. Without the stray one it would never have escalated this far. But thanks to him there are now two little lost souls with no connection to reality whatsoever. The human phrase about loose screws can be applied quite good here."

"So, you give none of them the fault?"

"I am not a mortal and I am no judge. Why should I?"

The bald man smiled wider. "I am looking forward to your next approach in this matter. By the way, that guy you looking at the whole time before I came is finished here."

The outsider in the factory clothing went to get his jacket. She chain of domino stones is about to reach its end.

"I must go now. Good luck with you next case. I will think about what you said." The dark stranger stood up and made a little bow before the bald man, who just winked in amusement. Then he left the room.

–

She has left her there. In the rain and as food for the cat. Here last victim, who gave her this body. She received all of her love now and gave all of her love. It had been necessary. She had worked so long and so hard for it. She deserved it. But it didn't fill the holes in her. These big, endless holes. What was she doing wrong? _What?_

She heard some knocking on the front door, but she ignored it. Her father was downstairs. He can open it.

It is the past! Viola is gone now and nothing will change that. She is now Viola! So she should feel as happy as Viola. The real Viola didn't appreciate the love of her father anyway. It would all be better for him, with a daughter who was good and behave.

The dark room was quite a mess at this point. With the full capacities of her new body, she had thrown in sheer frustration everything on the ground, expect all the things, that Viola had taken to her house before the exchange. The book was still on the bed.

This is definitely not what she wanted! Dear mother, why? Why, must it always be like this! Don't she deserve some happiness?

With a shriek Ellen hit her own head. Why did she came up? That woman was in a dark, shady time long ago, on the edge of her memories, locked away in this cells. Nothing to be reminded of, ever again. It was unfair. Just utterly...

She turned around and wanted to smash the Jojo, she was holding at the moment, against the wall. At this point she didn't care if her father could hear that. When the real Viola could have behaved a little rebellions sometimes, then so could she. But before she was able to do that action she froze. The blue and red object out of wood in her hand fell to the ground. There was something at the window. The same window she looked out a few minutes ago.

"No", she managed to speak and stared at the misty glass, with the silhouette behind it. It can't be. This had to be a joke. A sick imagination.

It was nighttime and beyond the glass should only be black darkness, especially when it was raining like this. But there was light. A blue, gloomy light and someone was standing in the center of it. The person seems to be floating, because this was the second floor of the house and the long purple hair was slightly moving. Golden eyes stared back.

These _eyes._

Ellen never could imaged that she was able to look at someone like that. It was not a simple stare of despise or of burning hate. No, it was almost calm, but with great, unbearable depth. It was like watching down a deep fountain, which was always whispering and inviting to jump down. And at his bottom...

Hundreds of years in isolation. Thousands of books. A mountain of bones. Her mind was not one to be easily shaken. But somehow this made her feel like her legs could any moment. It was not real fear, but a sharp unrest and discomfort. She was at that day again, where she and Viola departed forever, but this time somehow the roles where not the same.

A distance lighting illuminated the figure and changed her to a shadow. But when the glare faded away, the darkness stayed. It was not a human body anymore, but a thing as black as smoke and only with the form of a human. It seemed to constantly meld and reorder itself. A hand was lifted and pressed against the glass, as if this monstrous demanded entry into the house.

"I expected more from someone of your age", said someone to her left. "Did you really think, that it will end well and good? You really don't understand life, do you?"

There was a man, made out of darkness. Another darkness then the one of the figure outside. More organic and connected with the twilight of the world. It was difficult to observe where his appearance ended and the normal shadows began.

He just stood there with crossed arms and red eyes, watching and waiting. He was not a cat or a bird, but somehow Ellen know immediately what he was – or rather what he not was. No human, but not a ordinary demon either. And that means, that thing outside, in front of her window really was Viola.

"Life is suffering", he continued. "Did you really believe, that Viola would never feel misery and despair, once you have taken over?"

She ran. Outside of her room and down the stairs. It can't be over! She has not felt happiness yet! It was not fair. No!

Behind her she still heard his voice, as if the words where following her. "Now you will see just how little control and how little salvation you have within your new _life._ "

"Father", she screamed and stormed into the living room. Yes, he was her father. He loved her. He would protect her. He will bring her happiness. He...

She stopped.

There he was. Her strong, beloved father. He, who searched so long throw the forest just to find her. Lying on the ground. Blood everywhere. A knife in his neck and his gun still on the wall. A man in dirty and wet cloth was standing over him, a second blade in his hand. She recognized it. It was the same one she brought out of the woods and placed here into the kitchen cabinet. Her first and last sacrifices had been made with it.

"Ahh", he said smiling. "You are sweet Viola, arn't'ya? Everyone talked so much about you and I must agree, you are really a lovely little thing."

He began to came closer.

Ellen just watched in disbelieve. Violas father. He was dead? But he can't be dead, right? He didn't bring her happiness yet. She hadn't enough love yet. So why...

At this moment she realized that there was no sorrow in her. No desire to crying for him. His death bothered her just so much, that his love did not had a chance to reach her yet. She did not care for him. Here _love_ for him ended the moment she saw his corpse.

This time she fell on her knees. What was this? Why had it come to this?

The man reached for her and before she could do anything he pushed her to the ground. By now she realized what he was going to do.

"No!", she screamed and tried free herself. But he was too strong and she couldn't control magic anymore and this house was just a normal home, which didn't care about his residents. There was no way for her to defend herself.

 _He will break this body. He will break this new body of mine. And then he will kill me. Everything was for nothing._

From the corner her eyes she saw again the demon, who was made out of darkness. He was still just watching. Watching her dream, her desire getting destroyed. The cat would probably have smiled. But his face just stayed emotionless.

The fear in her grew and she lost the ability to think clearly, while the man struggled to open up his trousers. Just one sentence came clear out of the mess of her mind and it was so strange, that she was even confused.

 _I am sorry, Viola. I couldn't make your sacrifice worth._

A voice was heard, permeated with hate and suffering. It seamed far away und first Ellen thought it came out from her lips. But these were sealed the whole time. So this means...

Flames started to burst suddenly out of the mans mouth and in panic he sprang off from her and tried to beat the fire out, which now emerged everywhere out of his body. He started to scream. It were screams of pain and terror. Screams she heard before. All of his skin was gone within seconds and a crispy smell filled the air. She remembered it from the house, where many of her victims. Dying he fell on the floor.

Ellen watched him burning alive and then turned the head to the demon.

"It wasn't me", he answers with a shrug. "And if I were you, I would leave this house _now_."

The flames started to leave the body of the burglar and began to consume other parts of the room. They spread way to fast and smoke filled the hallway almost immediately.

Coughing and with trembling legs Ellen flee out of the house, that turned into one big torch within seconds. Every room and every wall began to burn and the waves of heat didn't rest until every corner was reached. It was so hot, that the rain evaporated around the building, before it even could reach the ground.

Ellen collapsed ten meters from her new home and when she turned back, she saw a shadow in this hell. It was a figure she knew just to well and it was kneeling over her dead father, the head tilted down, like if she was praying. Than she stood up and looked directly in her direction.

"Its not fair", the former witch said again.

"Life is hardly ever fair", countered the demon, who now stood beside her and watched the flames calmly.

"Did you bring her back?"

"She never really left."

"Why?"

"Because the two of you deserve another fate."

"What did I ever do?", Ellen cried out and she wanted to scratch his face out and cry at the same time. "What did I ever do wrong to deserve any of this? My whole life was just pain and rejection. Is it so wrong so escape that? Tell me, why do I deserve this? Why can nobody love me?"

"I could ask now, what did Viola wrong to deserve this. Or any of your victims."

 _There were just cattle_ , she wanted to answer, but somehow she was not able to say it. Instead she turned back to the house. The shadow figure began slowly to move towards the front door. She was heading directly at her. Ellen somehow felt no fear because of that and just tried to find something, with that she could argue back. But there was nothing. Instead she remembered how she and Viola talked at the house and how she was envious of the blonde girls body. Strange. It had been nothing special. Just a flytrap luring its pray with sweet nectar. Why was she thinking about that right now.

"I just wanted to be loved", she said with a breaking voice. She watched how her friend came nearer and nearer. She was to tired to run again from her.

"That's the problem with you humans", the demons voice echoed over the breaking of her new home. "You always want something and try everything to get it. And because of that you become blind and never realize that you already obtained it or that you choose the wrong path. If I had a sense of humor, I would probably laugh right now."

Ellen head snapped back to him. "What do you mean by that?"

"Are you really this dense? There was already someone who could have loved you. You. Not this stolen body, but you. Just like your mother."

"My mother abandoned me! She didn't love me."

"I did not say, that her love was perfect and overcame all borders. That are just romanticized fairy tales. But it was there, to some extend."

Nonsense. He was talking nonsense. That woman did not love her and wanted to leave her. So she killed her.

"Who? Who do you mean? Who was already loving me." There was nobody. Just rejection. Her mother, her father, her hometown. Everyone. No one. Only her.

Instead of answering he just pointed into the flames. There where Viola was walking. Viola who came to her house. Viola who was not scared by her. Viola who came to play with her. Viola who promised to switch bodies with her. Viola who did so much for her. Viola who...

"No, that can't be." Ellen wanted to scream in spite. "She didn't love me. I have her memories. She was disgusted by me and only stayed because she wanted to be a good girl."

"And that was more then most of your other victims would have done. You humans are truly naive. Even I, who can not love, knows that love is something that must develop and that never comes unconditionally. But you, foolish and blinded one, wanted it from the start and without to do anything to deserve it. Yes, Viola was not truly altruistic, just like any other human. But she trusted you, wanted to be your friend and tried to overcome her disgust. At some point real love might have blossomed out of that, if you did not ruin it." He shook his head. "But I am not really blaming you. You wanted to get out that body. The pain and the fear of death can dim the obvious. And I admit, that your experiences with your parents weren't that favorable to clear your sight. Well, now it is to late. She hates you and that to an extend, that it now defines her complete self. In all honesty, even I fear her now a bit."

Viola set food outside of the house and was still coming closer. The upper floors were crushing down behind her.

What was there to do? She didn't want to listen to his words. They hurt. They didn't make sense to her. Yet, they hurt and somehow implanted a disgusting feeling into her.

What was there to do? Everything has ended right now. She had killed her parents. She had made a pact with a demon. She suffered pain. But she had never lost hope. Never. She may be a despicable being, but still she had hoped for a carefree life and just someone who accepted and loved her. And now even these hopes are destroyed. Destroyed like that vengeful thing in front of her, that was her friend.

No Redemption for her sins. She could not even tell who to beg for forgiveness. Why should she even?

"I'm sorry." There was nothing else to do. Just this and crying. It was unfair. "I'm so sorry. Viola"

"I think its to late for regrets", spoke the demon again. "This tale was twisted form the beginning, just like you. Here take this."

He threw something in front of Ellen into the dirt. It was a silver dagger. With shaky fingers she took it and looked questioningly at the man of darkness.

"Right now, she nether can descend or ascend. Use this to free her or to free yourself." That was everything. After he told her that he vanished together with the smoke into thin air. She was alone. Alone with _her_.

Carefully Ellen climbed back on her feet and looked down at the weapon. Free Viola or free herself? She didn't now what that meant, but the feeling of this situation was the same. The same like on that fateful day, where she escaped the pain and the house.

"Hey, Viola", she began, while hot ash was burning on her skin. "You can understand me right?"

The shadow did not respond, but instead took another step. Ellen did the same. She closed the distance on her own account.

"Your father is dead. Do you still want this body back? Should I give it back now? You're my friend, you know? Despite everything what happened, I never stopped consider you my friend. Never. And I will forever see you as my friend. I promise you that. I mean, you helped me so much."

Did the shadow hesitate? No. Impossible. Viola hates her. Hates her so much. And of course she deserves to be hated.

"I am ready, Viola. I have nowhere to go. Nowhere. Just you. So come. Come to me."

Not knowing to stab herself or her best friend, Ellen just opens her arms and welcomed death. Nothing else to do. Everything was lost.

The shadow lifted his hands and the former witch closed her eyes. A icy feeling of fingers groped around her neck. Will she make es quick? Likely. This was Viola after all. Even after that much suffering, she would probably never torture another human being. She was so sweet and innocent.

Ellen waited and waited. But her friend did not tighten her grip and closed off her breathing. Instead she heard a whimper. And just now she noticed that the heat of the flames had disappeared.

Perplexed she opens her eyes again. The house was gone. And it was day. A dark day with a orange sky. But still a day and not a night. She stood in a field of red flowers, which she never saw before and a big, dead tree was just up ahead. Under his black boughs was the demon, who kneaded some clay between his hands, ignoring the two girls. The horizon was uncomfortable near, like if they where under a snowglobe.

Viola was right there, but not anymore a shadow, but in Ellens old body. She was fully healed and did not seem to be sick anymore.

"I want to kill you", she talked, trembling as hard as Ellen. "I want to pay you back. Such horrible things. You did such horrible things to me. I was in utter darkness. My mind, my body. Everything was like hell. A cold, isolated hell. After my dad, my _own_ dad killed me, I just wanted to disappear. Be gone, so I couldn't feel pain anymore. Just the thought of killing you kept me here. But now, what is the point?"

"Viola..." She was right there. She could stab her. Just like a few days ego. It would be ok, right? She wanted to be free. Her friend wanted to leave this world. She would liberate her. But if she did that, what would become of herself?

"You have said it. My dad is dead. My home is burning. You are standing right in front of me. Helpless and with no protection. You didn't even run away anymore or try to do tricks on me. I still hear your damned laugh after our body switch. It sounded like you enjoyed it quite a bit."

To Ellens surprise Viola grabbed her wrist and placed them so, that the dagger was pointing directly at her throat.

"What are you waiting for, you witch?", Viola asked with tears in her eyes. "You have done it before. You can do it again. I will not leave this world as a monster who killed her friend. I will not become you. Now end it! End it, please."

Never did someone asked for this. Normally they always beg to stay alive, but never did any of her victims begged to die. And more importantly. "What did you just say?", Ellen began in disbelieve. "I am your friend?"

"You are. As cruel and grotesque all of this is, you are my friend."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Just like you have all of mine, I have all of your memories. Maybe because of that I can not stop seeing you as a friend. I hate myself for it, but I..." Viola stopped midsentence and shook her head. While still in tears, her golden eyes became a icy stare. "But why do you care? End it now."

 _I can't end it like this, because you are my friend._

She never hated that girl. At first she was one of many, who came to her house. Like all the others, she named her a friend. But beyond that, there were no real sympathy. Maybe a bit amusement and thankfulness, because she was willing to trade bodies. Ellen did not care enough to not sacrifice her and because of the irony of her death, she even chuckled. Yes, she was just another, poor victim at that moment.

But now, after the last words of both - Viola and the demon - Ellen came to understand, that she indeed was a friend. Not just a plaything or a sacrifice. A beloved friend, who understands her better than anybody else. Because they shared memories. There where connected at a level, that it could evolve into something so much more. But after everything what happened, it was impossible. No escape to be found. Instead, they where trapped in a labyrinth of affection, understanding, hate and sorrow.

If Ellen had the composure, she would laugh right here and now. This was truly funny. Really funny. Now lets give this joke one last punchline.

The red flowers began to open up their petals and whispered in expectation. Like a wind, who brings a final, world eating storm, their indistinctly words branded over the two girls. The demon just carried on with the clay.

Ellen put her arms around Viola and her old body and linked the fingers of both her hands around the hilt of the dagger, who now was as long as a sword. Somehow she was not surprised about that.

"Say", her friend spoke up, her own hands now resting an Ellen shoulders."Can you tell me, why I was so happy when you told me, that you will see me forever as a friend."

The sharp metal went throw her back, out of her belly and into Ellen, building a silver and red bridge between them. The flowers seem to applaud.

"I am sorry, Viola", she answered with blood coming out of her mouth. "I can't tell. I really can't. But I am happy, too."

Was Viola smiling? She thought there was a hint on the familiar face. She hoped so. She really hoped. It was the only hope left in her. Dying together. Yes. Not a perfect end, but better than nothing. The two of them, falling through the voids between the spheres into the unknown. To places with no disease, no demons, no pain and no bitterness. It sounded almost romantic.

Ellen attempted to close her eyes and tightened the hug with Viola.

"Well, it really turned out like this. I am fascinated right now, you know?" The demon suddenly stood directly besides them and he lifted the clay above their heads. "But enough of this. I have no heart for mortals. I don't care if you suffer or prosper. I am only here, because I was interested how you two would fix this mess. I thought it would escalate in more despair and revenge. But it did not. Times are about to change and I must find a new place for myself, just like you two. With the blessing of the old ones, I will grant you now a second chance. Make it count."

He opened his hands and cascades of clay – so much more than he was holding before – came down on them, like a brown flood. They suffocated in it. There was nothing to see. Nothing to hear. Only the crawling of the dirt, that was eating its way throw their bones. The only presence they felt was the one of the currently other girl. Nothing more.

Than came the darkness. The flowers stopped their whispering.

–

Morning came, but only by the clocks. Black clouds tinted the land into shadow and a storm was ravaging. The rain was biblical with dozens of red lightning per minute and winds who easily blew of the shingles of the roofs and uprooted trees.

The fire was long out by now and only a ruin full of sooth remained. Two burned corpses where found within this disaster. Both where men. No traces of Viola where found. Only a little wooden doll with no face and no clothing was lying in the mud.

–

"The first men where made out of the dirt from a another sphere", the demon explained,while the rain was falling against the thin, wooden wall of their shelter. "Their body's where malleable and could change their form based on the personality in them. They where also not able to age. In the end they where failures, because their souls where incomplete and the today humans where made afterwards. But the old prototypes are not forgotten and I modified you with the clay of creation. So your body has now a few of the advantages of the old times."

"Why?", Ellen asked watching down on her fingers. There where _shifting_ and vibrating. No real mass seems to be contributed to them. "Why didn't you let us die?"

"I can honesty not understand that question from you. Weren't you the one who resorted to the most extreme actions, just to stay alive and flee the pain? I basically fulfilled that wish and that better and with less loopholes than the cat. Trust me, pain will not bother you anymore."

"But not like this", she screamed. "I never wanted something like this."

She looked at the other end of the tiny cabin, where Viola was standing. Her eyes where directed at a point far away and not within the sight of the others. She seems to be in deep thoughts. What was interesting, that she was standing there with her _real_ body. The one with the golden braids and the fair skin.

After a couple of seconds she noticed that Ellen was watching her and looked back.

"Do you want it? Fine, you can have it for the moment."

"What? No, you don't..."

"Why so reluctant? I mean, you _did_ resort to extreme actions just to get it. Here." Her voice was like poison and just didn't fit with the image of the beautiful young girl.

A feeling like she was pulled away by invisible hands came over Ellen and the unreal maelstrom sucked her in Violas direction. There was no way for her to stop it or to go against it.

In the next moment _she_ was standing at the other end of the cabin and her friend was at the place, she was before. But now she was a little blurred out and one was able so see through her.

Ellen on the other hand was instead the one with real flesh and blood and her body was her old one, with the purple hair and the golden eyes. She even has shrank back to seven years.

"This is sickening", she complied. "I didn't even think something like this was possible."

"Its not likely, but there are no rules against it", the demon explained. "And I don't think there will be mush complaints. The old ones don't really care about little things like these."

"But two souls sharing just one body..."

"Linked, not shared. There is a difference. One is always in the physical body and can interact with the world, while the other is near it, invisible for every mortal, expect ones with a special sense. And because of the clay, the body can take the appearance of the one, who is the host at the giving moment."

That didn't make it really better and Violas glance was still piercing through her. "Sick", Ellen repeated.

She had been ready to die, something she could never had imaged. She had wanted to kill herself and Viola, in a last escape. But what did he do? He turned them into these freaks – or just freak? She didn't know and she didn't care. This was a abomination. This was wrong. This...

"Why did my dad had to die?", Viola suddenly asked. "Why could I only kill the man after the murder? Why?"

 _What?_

"Because of your contact with the stray one – I mean the cat – you where no part anymore of the normal circle of mortals. Your father did not had that luck. He was destined to die last night. It was beyond your or my power to save him. And the only reason you could attack the burglar was because he would have died minutes later, after the rape, when he tried to destroy all evidence with fire, but burned himself alive instead. We brought his death a little bit forward in time and trust me, we stretched the rules quite a bit with _that_. But it worked. No one complained. Just like with your body now."

 _After the rape._

Ellen gulped. He said it just so calmly. "Can you predict the future?", she asked.

"Just short glimpses and not in context with everything. Some individuals don't have a set future and I can see nothing in them. Unfortunately your father didn't belong to this group."

To Ellens surprise Viola seem to accept these explanation for the time being. She just nodded and changed the subject. There was probably just to much sadness in her heart and the fact that her father was doomed couldn't make matters worse for her this moment. "And what now?"

"Well. If you want you can leave and try to live a immortal life out there..."

"For what point? There is nothing left for us! Nothing!"

 _She uses "us"_ , Ellen thought.

"In that case, you can come with me."

The two girls looked surprised at him.

"A...acquaintance of mine made a proposal and I am willing to try it out. But for that task I need some basic knowledge in human interaction and emotion. I lack both and you are probably better than nothing."

"And what exactly will we be doing?"

"You could call it... helping people."

Viola didn't ask further. Instead she looked to Ellen. "Before we continue, can a talk with her in private?"

"Of course. Take all the time you need." With that the demon left the cabin – without using the door.

After he was gone, she blond girl stepped immediately to Ellen, who instinctively tried to recede. But unfortunately there was a wall behind her. Just with a little distance left Viola stopped in front of her and surveyed the person who did all this terrible things to her for some bit.

Then she slapped the purple haired girl and even without using a real body it hurt for Ellen.

"Somehow that didn't satisfy me at all", Viola sighed, but her face turned back to stone quickly. "A mountain of bones."

"What?"

"Nothing. Just a memory. Yes a memory..." Her posture weakened a little bit. "You know, I have thought a little bit about this situation. It was the first time after the whole incident, that I was real able to do it with no blinding rage or fear, that dictated everyone of my actions. I think I know now, why I still see you as a friend. Your memories are in me too and there was a time, where I felt sorry for you. Yes, so sorry, that I was considering just to let you go with my body. So painful and lonely was your life. But than I imaged how you would walk away with my dad and left me behind. Left me behind and destroy him with your twisted love. That was unbearable for me and then the rage came. But now, where it all cooled down a bit, I realized that I somehow still feel sorry. Damn me, I feel sorry."

Ellens heart felt like a thorn of ice was piercing throw it and she wanted to say something. But another slap silenced her quickly.

"Don't get the wrong impression. I still will not forgive you. You are are a selfish, cruel bitch and I am not ashamed to use that word. But I think I own you a thank you."

"A thank you?", mumbled Ellen, while she rubbed her hurting cheek. "For what?"

"Didn't you listen? My father was destined to die and if I never would have stumped upon your house, if I never would have met you, have never talked with the cat, never traded body's and just stayed at home... the man would have..." She ended it with a laugh. A laugh Ellen never imaged could come out of Violas mouth. "I think _that_ is a funny story. Definitely better than your tale with the hunter and the dog."

Somehow this laugh was addicting for Ellen and she chuckled to. She half expected to be hit again, but the two of them just laughed and laughed. After a while Viola stopped.

"Where you happy with my father?", she then asked.

Ellen's throat became dry. Memories of the dissatisfaction and emptiness came back to her. But the upset feelings of that time, where now switched with sadness.

"No", she answered barely audible.

The wind and rain seemed louder now, while the two of them remained in silence. Ellen broke eye contact and just glimpsed to the side. Again she asked herself why she didn't deserve any happiness and love in her life. Was she really cursed from birth?

In this moment she felt Viola arms around her and before she could complain she was hugged.

"He said we would help people", she began, now with no despite and frustration in her voice. "I would like to go with him. I would like so see, how you help other people."

Helping others? Her? Why should she help anyone in a world, that did so much unjust to her? Why should she care? She was left alone. Alone in this house. Left with tears made out of blood. Building a mountain out of corpses.

"I still want to be a good girl", Viola continued. "I want to ease suffering, even for my own selfish reasons. Because I don't want to be someone who is despised. Even now, I am afraid of becoming evil. So I want to be there for you and watch over you, so you don't end up as the witch again."

"Why?", Ellen whispered

"Because I saw no evil in you. Just bitterness and loneliness. A lot of voices in me are telling me to just rip you apart, but there is still a little one left who is telling me, that there is maybe some hope left. And because I want to be a good girl, I am willing to grasp this last chance with you. For both of us. So, will you come with me?"

Viola was still hugging her, her head resting on Ellen's shoulders. She had not even a real body at this moment, but there was still warmth coming from her.

 _She didn't abandon me. Of all people she didn't. She asked me, if I can join her. She wants to help me._

A decision came up in Ellen. The wish to die was gone. A new purpose ascended from the ruins of her memories and her soul. She could not help other people for her sake, but she could help them for Violas sake and Viola is willing to stay at her side. This dumb, sweet, poor girl. So many things went wrong, but that's the past and she will now try everything to fix it.

Yes, she would make herself into someone who deserves Violas love.

"I will come with you", she said and after a little hesitation, "friend...?"

"Friend", Viola applied.

–

"It always ends with burning houses, doesn't it?", she bald man joked, while he watched together with the dark stranger how the sun was coming out between the clouds. The forest was wet and quiet for the moment, but it will become more lively again in a few hours.

"Does that mean, your little adventure in Germany didn't went that well?"

"Quite to the contrary. I think I even found a useful ally for the future. Just like you."

"I will not call them allies for the moment. Maybe just helpers. These two are in a seriously miserable state. The first one was nearly consumed by hate and is still in a inner conflict, while the second one is about to develop another complex, without given a damn about the rest of the world."

"Well, mine is not perfect either. But I think that is just the nature of things. Normal, healthy humans have no reason to interact with us."

"If you say so." The dark stranger looked back to the cabin and right through its wood. They were sleeping. The blonde one was now again in the body, while the other one was curled up besides her in her spirit form, one hand on the tip of the dress of the other one. They did look quite peaceful like that.

He never regretted a decision. But he also never felt satisfied with one either. Probably because there was never a important one up to this moment in his long life. He just followed orders.

But now he was somewhat relieved, that he rescued the bloody girl in the forest, these few days ago. It was a good feeling.

Yes, it was indeed a interesting event, he triggered. How many will possible follow?


End file.
